Fresh off her GRAMMY nomination last month vocalist and Roots, Jazz, and American Music Instructor Carmen Bradford is celebrating another great distinction. The singer was given the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Jazz Vocalist Award during the 2021 Jazz Tribute at the Montalban Theater on December 4th. 

“The first recipient of the Jazz Vocalist Award from the Los Angeles Jazz Society was Carmen MacRae followed by Joe Williams, Keely Smith, Dee Dee Bridgewater and many more. I proudly stand on the shoulders of these Jazz greats. Yes, it is indeed an honor,” Bradford said of her win. 

The Annual Jazz Tribute Awards Dinner and Concert was established to recognize and honor artists for their immense contributions in furthering the art form of jazz. Bradford is known for her decades long relationship with the Count Basie Orchestra, which recently includes two consecutive GRAMMY nominations. Bradford also performed on two GRAMMY Award-winning albums with the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1980s and later collaborated on a third Grammy Award-winning album, “Big Boss Band,” with guitarist George Benson in 1991. She has also performed on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. 

Bradford has also performed in stage productions and her voice has been featured in the music of Hollywood films including the soundtrack for Oprah Winfrey’s “Beloved”.

The Los Angeles Jazz Society was founded in 1983 by a group of musicians & jazz lovers committed to elevating the image of jazz and its artists in the community. 

Learn more about studying Voice or Roots, Jazz, and American Music at SFCM.